Platform-scale.



PATENTED JULY 3, 1906. W. H. SANDERSON.

PLATFORM SGALE.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 21, 1902. BENEWBD'J'AH. 22, 1906.

To ctZZ whom, it may concern.-

"UNITED srATEs PATENT orrron.

WILLIAM HARLEY SANDERSOMOF DAYTON, OHIO.

PLATE'QRM-SCALE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Ju 1y 3, 19 c,

Application filed August 21, 1902. Renewed January 22. 1906. Serial No.297,220.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HARLEY SANDERSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful'lmprovements inPlatform-Scales, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to improved means for connecting the platform,such as that of an ordinary platform-scale, with the lever system, sothat such platform, with its load, is suspended from the lever system byconnections universally movable as distinguished from bein supported onthe lever system by bearings which are rigid with the platform.

The platform-suspending means when constructed according to my inventionallows the platform to gravitate freely and to find its equilibrium ofsupport in that central or process of weighing.

normal position which 18 necessary to secure reliability in the actionof the scale ,in the The useful objects attained by the improve-.

Inent are, among others, a low support of those bearing-surfaces whichare rigidwith the platform relative to the lever-system, the

said bearing-surfaces of the platform being below the knife-edges of thelever system which carry the platform and its load; such a freesuspension of the platform on the lever 'systemas allows the platform toseek by gravity its normal and central position; to

' secure greater accuracy in the weighing operation; to do away with thenecessity of check-links or chains to maintain the platform in itsnormal position and prevent its horizontal displacement relative to thelever system, and in such a suspended platformscale to allow of theconvenient assembling and se aration of parts as may be required in manuacture, packing for shipment, reassembling,=-=&c.

Thefi'nvention, consists in the parts and 3 combinations thereofhereinafter set forth.

.In order to make the invention more clearly understood, Lhave shown inthe ac companying drawings means for carrying the sameinto practicaleffect without limiting. my improvements to the particular constructionwhich I have shown for the purpose of illustration.

In said drawings, Figure I is a vertical sec tional view'of so much of aplatform-scaleas is necessary for an understanding of themvention, theplatform and its suspension means being shown in elevation. Fig'L 'Z isa top plan. view of the same, partly broken away. Fig. 3 is an elevationon a larger scale, of one of the spider-legs and'connec'ted parts. piecewith its supported links in sectionf Referring to the drawings, 'J'indi'cates a suitable frame, such as a metallic casting, adapted-tocontain and support the lever system and having at its top an openingor"openings under the platform to' allowthe free passage of portions of theplatform to their connections with the lever system. The lattercomprises two levers H H 'combined in the usual manner to receive theweight of the platform and its load atfour points and adapted totransmit the desired proportion of such weight to the scale-beam througha link H The said levers are provided with knife-edges I, which. aresuspended by links E from staples f, attached to the Fig. 4 is a planview of the bearing-.-

which are rigid with it arranged at'some dis tanee below saidknife-edges. They 'are shown in the form of downwardly-dimeted andiounded or knife-edged hooks, the rear portions (1 of which are securedto thcbifurcations or legs a of the spider by screws, c f

The bifurcated legs of the spider are made longer than usual to bringthe surfacesl fl'to the desired distance below the knife-edgesl. At athe parts a are provided with flanges'or shoulders abutting against theinnersurfaces of the leg portions a.

B is a freely-movable bearing-block, preferably in the form ofa saddleand having a suitably recessed or. curved suri ace b, adapt-- ed to reston the knife-edge I. At each side I of the latter'it is further providedwith bearing-surfaces b and beyond the latter with flanges or heads 12 6is a rounded lateral extension which limits the position of thebearing Bon the limits, enabling the platform to assume by gravity that positionwhich is desired and which is essential for an accurate performance ofthe functions of the scale and to resume or 'swing b ack to suchposition after any lateral displacement.

The links 0 are retained in position during any separation of the spiderfrom the lever I systein by keeper-plates A", which are held beneath theparts a by the heads of the screws (1 or other suitable fastening andhave extensions a beneath the lower ends of the links. Said extensionsinclose or partly inclose the hooks with which the lower ends of thelinks engage and keep the latter in such engagement. The extensions aare preferably of spring metal, so that the links may be in serted intoplace or removed by slightly pressing the extensions outward ordownward. The upper ends of the two links 9 are retained in place on thebearing B between its central elongated portion and the flanges b Thedistance between the inner ends of the parts A is such as will allowthem to pass freely up at the sides of the knife-edge I whenit isdesired to remove the spider from the lever system.

I am aware that suspension-bearings have heretofore been employed in thelever sys: tems of scales and do" not claim the same broadly, iyinvention relating to the application of suspensioirbearings directlybetween the platform or its spider and the lever system, so that theweight comes initially upon the lever system through suspension means atmore than two weight-distributing points.

For the adjusting and leveling of the spider the hearings A may haveinserted beneath them one or more thin washers A Bv changing thesewashers for others of different thicknesses t ai-ings may all beregulated to the required height.

What I claim is I 1. In aplatforni-scale, the combination ti; .3platform, the do\vnwardly extending supports arranged in pairs,projections extending toward. each other on each pair of supports and anupwardlyextending link embracin each projection, of a saddle-bearingloosely onnted in each pair of links, said bearings being curvedupwardly and widened transversely between the links, a frame,platform-levers piv'otally supported by the frame and knife-edgehearings on the levers projecting into the upwardly-curved andtransversely-widened portions of the bearings substantially asdescribed.

2. In a platform-scale, the combination with the platform, thedownwardly-extending supports arranged in pairs, hook-like projectionsextending toward each other on eachpair of supports and anupwardly-extending link embracing each projection, of a saddle-bearingloosely mounted in the upper end of each pair of links, said bearingshaving headed ends outside of the links, and upwardlyurved transversely-widened portions between the links, a frame, platform-leverspivotally supported by the frame and knifeedge bearings projectingtransversely from the levers and extending into the transverselywidenedand upwardly-curved bearings; substantially as described.

3. In a platform-scale, the combination with the platform, thedownwardly-extending supports arranged in pairs, detachable hook-likeprojections mounted. on and having shoulders resting against the innerfaceo f each support, an upwardly-extending link embracing eachprojection, of a saddle-bearing loosely mounted in the upper end of eachpair of links, and having upwardly-curved and transversely-widenedportions netween the links and above the hook-like projections, a frame,platform-levers pivotally supported on the frame and knife-edge bearingsprojecting transversely from the levers and extending into thetransversely-wic'lened and up wardly-curved bearings; substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM HARLEY SA. XDIIRSOX.

ICO

